1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a wireless radio over internet protocol RoIP communications system and a method of use. More particularly the invention relates to a rapidly deployed RoIP communications bridge connecting wireless radio to areas, buildings and structures inaccessible or poorly covered by licensed radio repeaters.
The novel RoIP communications bridge system and method employs a two component bridge. The first wireless radio to IP conversion component device is disposed at a location in communication with a licensed radio repeater (LRR). A second wireless radio to IP conversion component device is disposed at a location inaccessible or poorly covered by the licensed radio repeater. An IP to IP link is established between the first wireless radio to IP conversion component device and the second wireless radio to IP conversion component device.
The novel system and method provides an emergency response communications (ERC) bridge for fire, police and emergency rescue operations to seamlessly connect Emergency Rescue Operations (ERO) with emergency on site personnel in areas not served or poorly served by available licensed radio repeaters. The novel system provides small portable suitcase type devices containing components for transmitting audio signals over a wireless computer network via the conversion of licensed radio frequency (RF) audio communications to transmit control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) and back to extend audio communications into areas isolated from licensed radio repeaters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The importance of a seamless communications connection between Emergency Rescue Operations (ERO) and on site emergency responders cannot be underemphasized. Lessons learned from emergency rescue operations demonstrate that many times communications between emergency rescue operations and on site emergency responders are lost when the on site emergency responders enter buildings, structures, vessels or disaster areas where the communication link is lost between a licensed radio repeater and the radios carried by the emergency responder. These areas are typically referred to as “dead zones.”
Lost communications between Emergency Rescue Operations (ERO) and emergency operations are all the more frustrating and dangerous when emergency responders inside the building, structure, vessel or disaster area cannot communicate with emergency responders outside the building, structure, vessel or disaster area or with ERO. Such loss of communications many times results in loss of life, delays in sending emergency responders to the site as well as sending additional emergency vehicles such as ambulances, medics, paramedics and reinforcements needed to manage the emergency. The loss of communications between emergency responders outside and those inside the building, structure, vessel or disaster area results in delay and the taking of unnecessary risks when information cannot be shared between inside and outside emergency responders.
The best known prior is illustrated in prior art FIGS. 1 and 2. Such prior art provides a rapid-response emergency communications command vehicle 39 incorporating some form of a mobile two-way radio repeater 38 often with built-in cross-banding technology. This vehicle usually parks near an area of limited to no-connectivity (“dead zones”) and activates a high-powered base-station repeater 38 to extend and provide voice connectivity to personnel beyond range of the established communications infrastructure.
These “mobile repeaters” are commonly available to police, fire, and EMS departments. Although this system works well, it has drawbacks. The mobile repeaters are usually very expensive, sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars. Equipment is cumbersome and can require permanent, standard 19″ rack-mounting in the vehicle. High power two-way radios are usually hard wired to these mobile repeaters, which require use of large external antennas and draw significant current from the on-board 12 Volt power system of the vehicle. Additionally such communications vehicles add additional vehicle clutter around a disaster area.
The rapid response emergency communications command vehicle 39 in prior art FIG. 1 allows outside emergency responder 21 or for example a fireman 21 at the scene to use portable radio 21A to communicate to an inside emergency responder 32 and 35 and emergency rescue operations ERO 25 by signal 22 to a licensed radio repeater 20 several miles away which is transmitted to ERO 25 by signal 26 and to inside emergency responders through signal 23 which is rebroadcast through high power mobile repeater 38 by signal 40 which is now able to reach emergency responders 32 and 35 through their portable radios 32A and 35A respectively. Licensed radio repeater 20 may be connected to ERO by hard wire or wirelessly as shown in FIG. 1. Licensed radio repeater 20 also transmit signal 23 to outside emergency responder 27 or a fireman 27 through his portable radio 27A.
Audio signals sent by ERO 25 are received by licensed radio repeater 20 and transmitted by signal 23 to mobile repeater 38 through repeater channel 36 and outside emergency responders 21, 27 and inside emergency responders 32 and 35 through high power mobile repeater 35 and signal 40. The prior art mobile radio repeater 38 is a large piece of equipment weighing approximately 50 pounds or more and is housed in a container of about 19 inches by 19 inches by 12 inches or larger.
The prior art system of FIG. 1 works the same way in both directions. Audio can be sent from radios within the building and received by radios outdoors. Insider emergency responders 32 and outside emergency responders 35 within the structure and out of repeater coverage are now able to communicate with the dispatch center and any personnel outside who are within repeater coverage and vice versa. The best known prior art system works by having the outside emergency responders to have their portable radios on two channels one covered by signal 23 to be connected to signals from ERO 25 and a second channel covering signals 40 so that they can be in the loop of communications between both ERO and inside emergency responders 32 and 35.
In this best known prior art in use provides a communications bridge by a mobile high powered radio bridge to interconnect a licensed radio repeater to a mobile repeater mounted in a rapid response communications vehicle. This repeater box contains two high-powered two-way radios. The audio channels of each radio are directly connected to each other. The repeater functions similar to how a tower-mounted repeater functions. Communications from the repeater on the hill are received by the mobile unit and rebroadcast on a secondary channel to the local area requiring enhanced coverage. All personnel in this area tune their portable radios to this secondary channel and communicate through the mobile repeater to emergency responders inside the dead zone which also communicate with the repeater box to emergency responders outside the dead zone.
Referring now to FIG. 2 the components used in the Prior Art mobile repeater system are illustrated. It consists of two high-power mobile radios 69 and 70 programmed for separate channels and mounted in vehicle 39 (FIG. 1). The audio channels and control ports of both radios are connected together. Separate external omni-directional antennas 50 and 50A are connected to each radio. The mobile repeater system 38 (FIG. 1) is connected to a power source and is ready for operation. Modulated voice traffic received on one radio within the unit is transferred through the audio channel to the second radio and re-broadcast at a much higher power to the local area on a second channel.
The high power two-way radios 69 and 70 of the prior art are usually hard wired to the mobile repeater 38 in vehicle 39, which require use of large external antennas and draw significant current from the on-board 12 Volt power system of the vehicle. Additionally such vehicles add to vehicle clutter at an emergency scene and have the drawback of delay in requiring the presence of a specialized vehicle at an emergency site.
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art emergency and disaster areas are often crowded with vehicles and difficult to reach. Reducing the amount of vehicles in a disaster area saves space, cost of acquisition and operation. Replacing a communications vehicle with a lightweight communications device the size of two suitcases that can be carried with a fire truck or ambulance to replace a special communications truck not only saves an enormous amount of money but also reduces the number of vehicles required to navigate to an emergency or disaster area.
A highly compact and mobile emergency response communications ERC system as is provided in accordance with the invention would prove valuable for other emergency and disaster areas and operations such as ships stricken at sea where weight of communications equipment aboard helicopters and planes are significant weight considerations. The highly mobile and lightweight devices of the invention allows inside emergency responders sent into dead zones such as buildings, or lowered down from helicopters onto stricken ships and into mines to carry a lightweight and portable communications device or life line with them to link them with outside emergency responders on board helicopters or outside the dead zone while also connecting them to their Emergency Response Operations.
The most pertinent prior art uncovered in the patent and publications prior art search included numerous types of wireless communication repeaters using non-licensed frequency ranges in the 900 MHz and 2.4/5.8 WiFi bands.
Repeaters are referred to as “mesh” or “self-healing” networks, examples of repeaters can be found in prior patent applications. No prior art repeater uncovered in the search referenced the use of non-licensed data radios to extend licensed radio frequencies in a dead zone utilizing a lightweight rapidly-deployable system.
Ganz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,080 B1 provides a Wireless Burstable Communications Repeater where the repeaters are used to extend Ethernet and Internet access from a central location for the purpose of remote data access. Ganz, et al. 6,584,080 B1 does not provide a portable rapidly deployable system for expanding the reach of pre-existing licensed RF voice communications to extend communications into areas isolated from licensed radio repeaters.
In a similar manner, Meier published Application No. US 2006/0268807 A1 for a Radio Frequency Local Area Network provides a system of using multiple “hops” to achieve data communications from nodes back to a central computer. Meier does not provide for a rapidly deployable communication system for converting licensed RF to IP to expand the reach of voice communications. Alexander U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,120 B1 provides for a multi-radio bridge for connecting multiple LANs together for data and voice communications to reduce the total number of radio access points.
All of the aforementioned prior art uncovered does not provide a portable rapidly deployable communications system for expanding wireless radio into dead zones.
Other prior art uncovered included Wotherspoon et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,023,821 B2 which provides Voice Over IP Transceiver for independently managed call groups and multiple talk frequencies, but requires the presence of an established local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) to function. The Wotherspoon et al. system does not use the system to extend existing licensed RF voice communications or provide for rapidly deploying such a system. Angle et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,771 B1 provides a Wireless Communication Network Having Voice and Data Communications Capability for a wireless network having a backbone and a plurality of access points. Angle, et al. does not extend the wireless network into areas lacking wireless coverage or provide a rapidly deployable bridging function for licensed RF voice communications.
Erekson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,174 B1 provides a Voice-Over-IP-Interface for Standard Household Telephone and utilizes a standard analog cordless telephone handset as the voice interface for a digital communications system. In this case, a legacy technology (the telephone) is adapted for use with a digital “backhaul” through a technology conduit which converts voice communications to packet data. The packet data is then converted back to analog audio and transmitted through a telephone handset at the far end of the call, thereby extending voice services in a way very familiar to the end user, namely, a residential telephone customer. This prior art as well as the previously described prior art does not provide for a rapidly deployable wireless network system for expanding communication coverage into dead zones.
International Publication Number WO 2005/088998 of Hawkins, et al. utilizes GSM voice cellular signals and equipment for the transmission of data. Despite the potential uses in extending data services via existing GSM cellular voice channels, the publication does not provide for a portable rapidly deployable system to extend licensed RF voice communications into dead zones.
Ehlers, et al. U.S. Publication US 2006/0067266 A1 provides for a Radio over Internet protocol (RoIP) for police and fire department dispatchers. Ehlers, et al. uses the system to mute receive path audio packets to eliminate the need for a dedicated echo canceller while the console operator is transmitting. Ehlers, et al. like the other prior art does not provide a rapidly deployable bridging function to extend licensed RF voice communications into a dead zone.
The known prior art does not provide a lightweight tool case sized communications device weighing approximately 25 pounds or less with dimensions of about 13.5 inches wide, 10.5 inches long and 6 inches thick for extending wireless networks into areas lacking wireless radio coverage. The prior art systems also do not provide for the transmission of audio signals over a wireless computer network via the conversion of licensed radio frequency (RF) audio communications to transmit control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) and back again to extend radio coverage into dead zones and areas cut off from licensed radio repeaters. The novel system method and components provide a seamless communications link that is fully compatible with existing portable radio transmitters employed by emergency responders.